


I was glad

by emiliavioletta



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 03:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17133803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emiliavioletta/pseuds/emiliavioletta
Summary: Princess Rey of Austria is to become the future english queen.





	I was glad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crossingwinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crossingwinter/gifts).



**19 th November 1883**

A chilly breeze whiffed through her skirt. The pale sunbeams that were lightening the courtyard didn’t seem to reach her – even under all the heavy layers of ebony silk Rey was shivering. Yet she couldn’t exactly tell whether she was trembling because she was freezing or due to the anxiety that filled her body.

Everything around her seemed like a blur - yet at the same time the scent of the bouquet she was carrying seemed thousand fold intensified. 

Rey climbed into the extravagant carriage that was waiting for her as if she was in a trance, barely recognizing how her maids tried to drape her 5 meter long train into the vehicle.

“Stop worrying. You look astonishing. And my son is totally crazy about you anyways.”

A gruff voice pulled her back into reality. Hearing someone speak German to her had a strangely calming effect on her, and Prince Han’s unmistakable Saxonian accent almost made her smile.

Yet Rey wasn’t as confident as her father-in-low to be. She had only met Prince Benedict a few times over the last weeks, and all the times on formal occasions. They hadn’t ever been alone together, in fact, they had barely spoken to each other. The prince had always seemed cold, almost disinterested and frankly not at all enthusiastic that his mother, Queen Leia, had decided it was time for him to marry. And if that wasn’t enough, she had started to suspect that his admired teacher, Lord Snoke, was more than unhappy that his protégé was married to some second-rate Austrian princess rather than his daughter, and that the prince shared this attitude.

The people at the wayside cheered and waved as they drove through the streets of London, all the way from the Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, where not only the crème de la crème of the english nobility, but representatives of all European dynasties had gathered to attend the wedding of England’s future king. Rey’s aunt and uncle, Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Sissi were there as much as her beloved cousin Duchess Rose with her husband Finn. 

As they arrived at the entrance of the cathedral  the jubilation of the crowd had reached an earsplitting volume.

“See, the nation already loves you!” Prince Han tried to comfort her as the maidens were re-arranging her gown on the red carpet. Though Rey was much more worried about pleasing her future husband than the common people, she truly appreciated Han’s support. No matter what would happen, she knew that in him she’d have a true friend inside the royal court, and she was thankful that he’d walk her down the aisle.

They entered Westminster Abbey and the crowd’s cheers were suddenly predominated by the bluster of organ and trumpets.

“I was glad!” The choirs words resounded solemnly through the nave as Rey, one step at a time, slowly approached the altar. With every step that she took, her heart pounded more intensely in her chest.

She strode through the quire, and as the music reached its summit she could finally make out her future husband in front of the altar, sable-haired, in his shining uniform. He still had her back turned towards her and his best man, the wispy, red-haired Duke Armitage was whispering something into his ear.

As Rey and her father-in-law finally reached the end of the aisle, he finally turned around. His dark eyes were fathomless, Rey couldn’t read any emotion in them.

He slowly stepped down the stairs and took Rey’s hand from his father.

“You look lovely!”, he whispered bluntly while leading his bride in front of the priest.

 

* * *

 

**1 st January 1884**

The cracking of the firework had finally fallen silent. It had been spectacular, more colorful and flamboyant than Rey had ever seen one back in Vienna. They had watched it from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, Queen Leia, Prince Han, Rey and her husband, while thousands of people had celebrated on the streets below them.

Now Rey had returned to her chambers, and had changed her abundant lilac dress into a plain, ebony night gown made of fine lace. She had just send off all her maids when the big double wing door swung open.

“Ben!” Before Rey could turn around to face her husband she was already in his grasp. Tenderly he placed some kisses on her neck.

“This is it. The first year of the first year of the rest of our lives. And I couldn’t be happier to spend that time with you!” The prince sounded so soft.

Rey chuckled.

“Who would have thought to hear that from you one time?”, she responded with a smirk on her lips. “2 months ago, I sure wouldn’t!”

“Why?” A trace of indignation resounded in Ben’s voice. “Didn’t you think I’d like you?”

“I wasn’t sure you even noticed me before our wedding.” Rey still couldn’t help but smile. “You were always so reticent, I don’t think I ever saw any emotion in you until our wedding night.”

“Well, you were very persuasive that night.” Now Ben was smirking as well.

Rey finally turned around to finally sink into a kiss. Never had she thought that she’d grow into loving Prince Benedict so quickly, if at all. But the last six weeks had quickly proven her wrong.

“About – that…” Rey paused while curiosity and desire were flaring up in Ben’s eyes. “I have a New Year’s present I have to tell you about.”

“And what might that be?” Ben asked while pulling her closer to his haunch.

“I’m pregnant.”

**Author's Note:**

> This AU was inpired by the german movie "Sissi" from 1955 (https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20p7yh) - telling the Story of how Emporer Franz Joseph's arranged marriage to Sissi's sister Helene didn't exactly work out. Franz and Sissi are reffered to as Rey's aunt and uncle, Rey's father would have been Franz' younger brother who became emporer of Mexico but died young in a revolution there. 
> 
> The song that plays when Rey walks down the aisle ('I was glad' by Parry) by is commonly used at british royal weddings - as shortly at the wedding of William and Kate in 2011. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPlVAj5uajA&t=402s)


End file.
